Ducati’s Chaz Davies will start from third on the grid for tomorrow’s World Superbike double-header at Portimao. The Welshman thought that his time was only just good enough to make it on to the second row – so is pleasantly surprised with a front row start.
The Powys-based rider has had a new electronics package for this round, and has experienced a few teething problems which led to a slow start to FP4, but Davies managed to work around any issues to post a quick time of – 1’42.924, to bag his first front row start of the year.
“I am really happy as I thought I would have scrapped to the second row, so to jump that and go into the first row will do,” said Davies, speaking to bikesportnews.com at the circuit.
“In FP4 I had an electronic problem and every time I kept on going out on track the bike started to do its own thing. We had a new electronics update this weekend, so that's upset us a bit, and that - cultivated with a new motor meant not everything was bang on – but it seemed to work in Superpole though.
“The vibration issue is a weird one as I am still feeling it in the bike, but it changes at different tracks and with different track temperatures. At the last round at Misano I could have told you what it felt like after three laps - but the vibration problem hasn’t been too bad here so far.”
